Welfare Reform Bill
4:00 pm
James Plaskitt (Warwick and Leamington, Labour)
May I follow up what Martin said with the other two bodies represented? Martin put his finger on the problem of unaffordable credit, but what scope do you see for the social fund providing affordable credit? I know that you have spoken about grants—I understand the argument about grants versus a loan—but taking the issue that we are trying to deal with, which is unaffordable credit and the interest rates of 300 per cent. or 1,000 per cent. that doorstep lenders charge, do you see a role for the social fund in addition to providing a certain amount of interest-free lending, perhaps in providing the facility for low-cost credit?